Two rallies on Dec 8: One for human rights, the other anti-Icerd

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to launch the Human Rights Commission’s (Suhakam) Human Rights Day 2018 event this Saturday morning in Petaling Jaya.

This is the first time that a prime minister will be attending a Human Rights Day event held by Suhakam. Mahathir’s first administration had set up the commission in 1999.

Suhakam’s event will be held at the Padang Timur field from 8am to 3pm. This is the first time Suhakam will be organising such an event in an open space.

Events includes a play by Suhakam titled “Perjuangan yang belum selesai” (The unfinished struggle), traditional performances and a short video competition, among others.

About 10km north, thousands are expected to gather in Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur during the afternoon on the same day for a rally against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd).

Organisers are looking to gather 500,000 people to “celebrate” the fact that Mahathir’s administration would not make Malaysia an Icerd signatory.

Malaysia is one of two Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) and one of 17 countries in the world that has yet to ratify Icerd.

When contacted, Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph said apart from Mahathir, invitations have been sent out to many policymakers.

“We have a new government with Mahathir at the helm and they are trying to recalibrate Malaysia with admissions that there were many gaps and failures in terms of human rights in the past,” he said.

Joseph (photo) said Suhakam’s mission was to extend conversations on human rights.

He expressed regret that the group organising the anti-Icerd rally was closed to such discussions.

“The two gatherings on the same day juxtaposes the position Malaysia is in. One side is rights-based while the other is saying human rights do not apply to Malaysia, which is a strange concept.

“For Suhakam, we need to keep pushing and opening up spaces for conversations on human rights,” he told Malaysiakini.

Suhakam's event will be held two days before Human Rights Day, which is observed worldwide every year on Dec 10. 

It commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly on the same day in 1948. - Mkini